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97.9 Fox FM?

G

Groove1670

Guest
I heard this station driving up to West Alabama today. The on air presentation was very good. Local news and a mix I enjoyed. There were some audio issues. It would drop out, and sounded like some stereo pilot issues. Is this a LPFM. I think the frequency was 97.9, but I'm not sure.
 
Any other thoughts or comments on this station or, for that matter, it's twin in Jasper? It's programmed by a friend of mine and I'm curious as to what people think about it since it is a bit of an eclectic format. He prefers the term "Classic Top-40" but, I'm not sure what it is and I can't imagine a day when Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton could be heard on the same station as Kiss or AC/DC. I think the third Fox FM is just about to go live in Monroeville really soon.
 
Since I grew up in Pensacola and had a Q-Card and a Q-100 bumper sticker on my first car, I can honestly say I like the call letters. ��
 
Radio Observer said:
Any other thoughts or comments on this station or, for that matter, it's twin in Jasper? It's programmed by a friend of mine and I'm curious as to what people think about it since it is a bit of an eclectic format. He prefers the term "Classic Top-40" but, I'm not sure what it is and I can't imagine a day when Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton could be heard on the same station as Kiss or AC/DC. I think the third Fox FM is just about to go live in Monroeville really soon.
Click to expand...

So this really is a direct simulcast, or is it just programmed by the folks in Jasper?
 
It's apparently done as three LPFMs all programmed as network affiliates. Personally, I like it and I would've never thought I would. To hear it described, one would think "That's a jumbled mess!" but, it doesn't sound that way in the presentation. It's online but I don't recall exactly where since I'm not where streaming is a good idea just yet.
 
I've listened to "the mothership" several times via streaming on TuneIn. It's an interesting format and sometimes holds my attention for over an hour, which is a lot more than most music stations do these days. But I am just not much of a streamer. I am more of a podcast listener, so I rarely listen to music streamed online.
 
Has anyone been through the area and checked out this station recently? I won't be in the area anytime soon and am curious as to whether or not the issues listed in the original post have been resolved. How is this relatively new LPFM sounding? What about coverage since this station lists as very nearly Class-A HAAT? Does there seem to be any advantage in coverage by exchanging ERP for HAAT? This would be the perfect study! Inquiring minds want to know!
 
I finally was able to ride through Jackson again today and I see that the direct simulcast has now ended and it seems that the 97.9 signal has taken on a life of it's own (even though it still is essentially the same format) and is now programmed directly for Jackson and the Clarke/Washington/Monroe counties audience that it reaches. I do believe that real live and local radio may just be making a comeback in some areas when someone with a passion for what the business once was manages to get their hands on a signal! They were promoting this stream on-air:

http://tunein.com/radio/Fox-FM-1019-s88674/

What's odd is that the stream comes up as "WQJJ 101.9 Fox-FM" in Jasper but, as of today, WQJJ is programming with the same format and "Fox" moniker but has an entirely different lineup on it. I passed through Jackson earlier on my way to Jasper so, I should know. The stream is definitely "WJLQ, 97.9 Fox-FM" out of Jackson. This can be just the least bit confusing.
 
tomservo said:
The Monroeville LPFM at 100.3 should be on the air now, too. I noticed that Fox FM's main website has been redone and shows all three cities/frequencies, which implies some sort of simulcast.
Click to expand...

100.3 is still a warbly static-y spot to hear Hattiesburg's SL 100. No Fox FM yet for Monroeville.
 
Curiosity got the better of me so I called someone I know there and here's what happened:

A new transmitter was bought for Monroeville and installed and promptly failed due to a problem on the PLL board within several hours of being put on-air. I was told that a replacement is on the way and should be on-hand within the next 7 to 10 days. It looks like this one may have just have to be a bit late but, nonetheless, these stations do have, until now, a spotless record for getting on the air when they say they do. (I'm wondering what happened, here. This is really not like the people behind the Fox FM stations.)
 
Dang, bummer about that. I guess failures do happen from time to time with cheaper LPFM equipment. (Cheaper versus full power stuff, I mean, not that these folks are buying bad stuff.)

Hopefully they'll "get up and lumbering under their own weight" to paraphrase Richard Dixon, sooner rather than later.
 
Cheaper? In my experience, the LPFM equipment is more expensive than full-power equipment because of the added certifications made necessary by the rules.

Did you know that you can use a home-made exciter, transmitter and antenna for a 100kw class-C commercial FM station but, an LPFM is required to use the special "type verified" equipment which is much more expensive (but, not at all more reliable). Our "friends" and NAB, NPR and other organizations who really do hate LPFM (but, will gladly take money from any LPFM who is stupid enough to want to join and organization that has tried to keep them from existing) made this a reality.

I once maintained a commercial station that ran for several years on an exciter based on a $99 (1 watt Veronica) PLL oscillator board and, as long as we could keep it running within specs, it was perfectly acceptable (to the owner). Let an LPFM get caught doing that and they would be fined out of existence.

I don't know how many know this but, the guy who builds the Fox FM stations is an engineer and I've known him to build some of the best (and most impossible to build) stations in the country over the years. He says they have three exciters that could be used to get the Monroeville station back on faster but, due to them not being acceptable specifically for LPFM and due to the likelihood of commercial stations complaining for no reason other than to complain (this does happen), they'll wait for the "LPFM acceptable" transmitter to be shipped back. In my opinion, this is just a station being kept down for political reasons.
 
So you're telling me a 100 watt "all in the box" LPFM costs more than a big Harris or Continental at a class C in a major metro?

Certified or not, the gist I've gotten from engineers is the equipment is not built to quite the same robust standards as some (but not all) major transmitter manufacturing specs. For obvious reasons. Plus, I hear regular stories of LPFMs trying to build out stations "on the cheap" by cutting corners and the like, which never helps.

I'm sure there are a few show-places out there in LPFM-land, but most seem able to only get by with the bare minimum.

FWIW I also know the engineer and he's a good egg. He — like others who help build LPFMs, I'm sure — can make the most of meager budgets. At least when people actually pay him on time. ;)
 
tomservo said:
So you're telling me a 100 watt "all in the box" LPFM costs more than a big Harris or Continental at a class C in a major metro?
Click to expand...

No. Not more proportionately. But, a major metro Class-C can get by with a $1,000 exciter although most metro stations will not do this. An LPFM is required (if they do it legally) to buy the $3,500 model due to LPFM regulations. Taken in context, this is the same as requiring a pauper to purchase only high-dollar items while allowing millionaires to "buy cheap".

tomservo said:
I'm sure there are a few show-places out there in LPFM-land, but most seem able to only get by with the bare minimum.
Click to expand...

I've built and serviced a few LPFMs in my day and, as a general rule, I'm amazed that some of them are even on the air. The engineering business has become so cut-throat that we have people sending out ads claiming "You can build your own legal LPFM for under $5,000.00!" In what dream? Just a transmitter, antenna, EAS and bare-minimum audio processing that meets all of the required specifications to really be legally will push any serious licensee (or CP holder) into the area of $7k. I can't believe people are stupid enough to expect to build any radio station for under $10k and even at that, I'd say they won't get much of a radio station. Would you expect to build a motel or a restaurant for under $5k? What's the difference other than the fact that some fly-by-nights have deluded people into thinking there's a cheap way out? In my experience, every dollar "saved" on construction turns into $10+ spent on maintaining the cheaply constructed facility.

tomservo said:
FWIW I also know the engineer and he's a good egg. He — like others who help build LPFMs, I'm sure — can make the most of meager budgets. At least when people actually pay him on time. ;)
Click to expand...

See my last paragraph for my thinking on this. I think some people have LPFM right and others don't need to be anywhere near it. When someone calls me and tells me they have $5k and a CP, I tell them to go away and call me back when they have at least $20k. Yes, it can be done "on the cheap" but, who wants a cheap and unreliable facility that will end up costing much more in the end because corners were taken? Sadly, far too many are taking this option and then are surprised when what they get is an inferior product. Behringer is not the same as Wheatstone and there is a reason why we don't find many Behringer boards in NYC or even Dothan - although I have no doubts at all that some cheapskates have tried it and been disappointed.
 
Nicom Antenna $675
BW broadcast transmitter 300W (built in processing and remote control) $3300
RM 400 cable w connectors $500
G/R Cap system $1250
TFT 911 on Ebay $150 (make sure you get one with three inputs)
Computer $200
Playout software Free-$499 (recommend StationPlaylist because it has a music scheduler and voicetracking).
Mixer Ebay $75 (starter mix until it can be replaced)
Mic Ebay $50
Misc.

Total $6999

Filing fees and rental space extra. Power should nominal.

The listener will never know that the station was assembled on a budget.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Groove1670 said:
Nicom Antenna $675
BW broadcast transmitter 300W (built in processing and remote control) $3300
RM 400 cable w connectors $500
G/R Cap system $1250
TFT 911 on Ebay $150 (make sure you get one with three inputs)
Computer $200
Playout software Free-$499 (recommend StationPlaylist because it has a music scheduler and voicetracking).
Mixer Ebay $75 (starter mix until it can be replaced)
Mic Ebay $50
Misc.

Total $6999

Filing fees and rental space extra. Power should nominal.

The listener will never know that the station was assembled on a budget.
Click to expand...

Thanks for proving my point! As you can see, this is a far cry from "Completely legal for under $5,000.00!" I'd also like to point out that Nicom is a far cry from ERI or Jampro.

Granted, the BW Broadcast transmitter does seem to be worth every penny but, that one item alone is easily 70% of that "under $5,000.00" promised in the ads.

Knowing that the FCC has stated that the plans all along are to allow "CAP converters" for only a limited time, would a forward thinking licensee buy an EAS system that may be acceptable for a year or six months or some limited time, I'll go with new (known good and with a warranty!) anytime!

Either way, you did just help me debunk the myth of the "completely legal LPFM for under $5,000.00!". It's just not possible to do it while building a quality-minded and reliable facility. (Let's also not forget that the fees for initial engineering, application preparation, build-out, etc. Figure into the mix so, by the time all is said and done (unless the applicant is an engineer), the real-world "dirt-cheap reality" will be at least $10k and this is, as you've just specified "bare minimum, rock-bottom" and there's still studio equipment, site leases, utilities and more to consider! I'm standing firmly by my $15k to $20k to do it right or it's likely a non-starter.
 
I picked up 97.9 WJLQ in a parked car in Monroeville yesterday. I hadn't heard their streams as of late (all of which seem to be down), but the mix of music for the ten minutes I heard seemed 'fresher' than the classic rock/classic hits mix I expected.
 
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